Modern day Luck vendors

     Growing up in a small town in south India, I used to walk past street vendors selling different items on the footpath (read as roadside as there wasn't a footpath).Among them, the one who always attracted my attention was the middle aged man who sold rings embeded with colourful stones which he claims as semi-precious lucky stones but were actually glass pieces.


    Unlike other vendors who were selling essential commodities, the luck vendor was never busy with many buyers. However, occasionally he had customers who are to be first convinced about the 'quality' of the product and then about the 'positive' impact of the product. 

    I always pondered, "if wearing those rings, stones are sure to bring luck and prosperity, why was he not wearing them and becoming rich to live a better life away from this roadside?" and "what's so compelling for him to make others rich?"


     As years passed, my visit to the place lessened from daily to once a month and and now once a year or so.I still get to see someone younger (now I am of that luck vendor's age) continuing the business model - perhaps his son or a relative. 
  • Quit your job and give jobs to others.
  • Believe in winning, you will win.
  • Learn how to speak, make friends, influence others, become rich.
  • Wake up early or sleep late and reach the sky.
  • Dream and every thing will come true.
  • Think positively and everything will be good. 
  • Fillet mignon for the soul

    Every human being is unique - in their struggles, in the resources available, in their motivation, with their priorities, with their commitments, with their ethnicities, cultural background and promising them all, the same outcome from the author's point of view is like making a shoe and expecting that it will fit everyone or developing a vaccine and expecting it will fight all contagious diseases (badly affected by the pandemic).

     The business model of the luck vendor and the Self Help gurus are same.Most of the self help gurus are owning mansions, private islands, driving swanky cars all by selling their books, lectures and we haven't heard of even 1% of those who bought those books, participated in those lectures have ever became as rich and successful as the authors.

      I have to confess that I was once a believer of these stuffs and good thing is that I came out of this fantasy a bit earlier than some of my friends and colleagues.Recently I came across a video  by a stand up comedian, Rajasekhar Mamidanna on Self Help books and enjoyed it as I can relate it to exactly what I feel.

Have I missed buying one those rings from the luck vendor?-  anyway, it's too late now.

pc: https://www.steveglaveski.com

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